Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1887-03-18
MU' KRAFT HUNTING.
THE SPORT ALONG RIVER MARSHES -
FOUR STORY MUSKRAT DWELLINGS.

Muskrat shooting is sport which
is attracting considerable atten ton
now aud is being largely engaged in.
During the winter few muskrats are
killed. but it is not until the approach
Of Spring that the season fully opens.
The area of marsh land along the riv-
ers and their numerous inlets form
iavorIte hunting grounds for musk
rats, and they are now being captured
in large numbers. Next to the bea-
v.r the muskrat is one of the most in
genious of rodents in the construction
OF its houses, and its mode of life and
habits are very interesting. They Sc
lect the low river marsh lands as their
dwelling place. and there they build
their houses. \ location is preferred
which is flooded at high tide, but
which is clear of water at low ebb,
and every creek aud almost every lit,
tie inlet to the rivers afford innumer-
abl- positions that are favorable. After
determining spon the exact position
for their house, the rats burrow leads
or miniature tunnels from the waters
ed ge at low tide to the spot upon
which the house is to be erected.
They then set about collecting mater
al for their dwelling. The tall canes
and coarse marsh grass are cut down
and pulled in placr, and the marsh
mud is used as kind Of mort,r. A
a. trn,,I,r foundation l ii Il
the ground floor arranged on a level
with the leads This completed, an
upward lead is made like spiral stair
way to the second floor, which is made
into room similar 10 the first, but of
less circumference \ third and some
times u fourth floor is built with the
spiral lead running from the level of
the marsh to the top "f the house,
each succeeding room being OF some
what less diameter mp to the roof or
The height Of each no,r from the level
Of the marsh is regulated by the sue
casslve heights reach by the tide. The
rats are social in their habits, an1 at
extreme low ebb. when the accommo-
datinHs are great st in their houses,
quite "A number may be found in the
same hut. At 10 Il tide fewer are
found in any one house. as the accom-
modatious are limited then only to
the upper stories which are free of wa
ter. but these are all the more e,sily
sec Ired ~ the hunter. There are
three WAYS by which the rats are cap
,urel: BY shooting. by trapping aud
bY -pearing. \ few may be scared
AZ night By creeping as noiselessly rs
possible along the creek eiges, aud
watching Tor tnem to crawl up On =
bank to feed. In this they are very
dainty. Having procured ravorite
root, they approach cautiously the wa
Ter 'dge and dip it in and rub off the
mud, dip It in again and again until
it is perfectly cean and suited to their
taste, VIXEN 1t Is eaten with evident
relish, provided the sportsman is suf
ticlently iIt,r, sted in the process to
walt. y boat, however ls usually
use J., as the rats c,n be more easily
aud quietly approache on the water.
In thu, case two persons occupy the
same boat, the sportsman requiring a
pu>her. rs in the Case Of ortolen. AS
this sport can only be eng 'ged in at
night, the sky must be comparatively
clear in order that the sportsman may
nave the advantage Of the moonlight,
or, better still, bright Starlight. A
.hyadlisht with reflector is, however,
sometimes used on the bow Of the
boot, and this arrangement is fire.
Quently quite successful during the
darker nights to one sufficiently we'll
acquainted With the hunting grounds.
/ rrapping'is is another Of the modes By
which tn, rats are secured. The traps
are mad. of b ards about six inches
wide and three feet long. These are
MALE together like an ordinary box
trap, the open ends being secured by
swinging i ors OF wire network, fas
tened TO the upper prt Of both en-
( frances. These doors allow easy in
gress to the trap, but once in, the rat
cannot get out without "pening the
door by pulling it 10 him, which Sc,
cret taey seem very slow to discover.
These traps are put III the leads lun,
uing from the houses to the water
when the tide is at low ebb and the
rats are cut feeding. On the return
they cra"l up the leads, push against
one of the wire doors of the trap,
which immediately opens into the
trap, but he cannot get further, rs the
next door opens toward him. BE ore
he can gnaw ont the tide makes up
aud he Is drowned in the trap BY
| having number OF traps and watch
ing the tide closely trapper can Cap
ture Il large number in this way. The
most destructive mode Of capture is
by spearing. Four or five rods of
of iron three or four feet long are Sc
cured in cross section frame of wood
or iron and their points are well sharp
ened, and with this the hunter ap.
proacheS the rat house as quietly As
possible, as the inmates are constantly
on the alert and if alarmed will quick
ly run down their spiral stairway and
run into tie leads. Stepping to the
side of the house he reaches over il
and plunges the spears d'wn through
it as far as he can push them. With
the pick he pulls the house to pieces
and frequently finds two or three
muskrats, and sometimes more, i'm
paled by the spears. This destructive
method is, however, not looked upon
with favor by sportsmen, as it tendt
to drive the rats away from the NOR.
acc 'ssible parts Of the marsh. The
muskrat is somewhat similar in ap
pearance to his dry land cousin, bu
is incomparably larger. The brown
muskrat, which is larger than the
black muskrat, when full grown viii
!, ,naasura twelva Or fourtaap inoho